MEA [Middle East and Africa] smartphone shipments declined 10% year-over-year (YoY) in the second quarter of 2026, a quarter with no sales-driving occasion to support demand, according to new data from Counterpoint Research. But there was good news for Apple.
Counterpoint says several brands saw their shares decline steeply, while Samsung, realme, and Apple grew significantly. The iPhone’s MEA market share grew 28% year-over-year in the second quarter. It now has 10% of the MEA smartphone market, compared to 8% in the second quarter of 2025.
Other highlights from the Counterpoint Report:
° The comeback of declining brands will be more difficult than just an expansion, particularly against a market leader like Samsung where consumers are usually locked into the ecosystem.
° The premiumization is not only driven by consumer demand, but component scarcity which is pushing the market up the price curve. The sub-$250 segment fell 26% while 5G shipments grew 8%. A market built on entry-level volume does not easily preimmunize to higher segments driven by consumer desire.
° Regional growth is becoming an allocation decision. realme expanded in MEA by diverting units from India rather than by securing additional supply, turning geography into a lever in a constrained market.
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Article provided with permission from AppleWorld.Today